Different
by Mindylynne
Summary: After months apart, Jay and Erin finally reunite. Things feel different though. Could this be a problem? Written in anticipation of 3x05.


Erin gasped for breath as she dropped down onto the bed beside Jay, taking several deep breaths to steady herself. Every cell in her body was tingling, and she felt alive. She closed her eyes against the dim light, and just allowed herself to be the moment and relish in the experience. It had been seven or eight months since her and Jay had last spent time in his bed, and it felt great to be back. Everything felt great lately. Working, spending time with her friends, and of course, spending time with her partner. Although it wasn't exactly "partner-like" activity they had been engaged in for the last hour.

A shiver ran down her body as the cool Chicago air danced across her bare skin.

Jay, lying next to her doing some deep breathing himself, noticed the faint shiver. "Cold?" He questioned. He leaned over the side of the bed, reached onto the floor, and grabbed the blanket that had been dropped onto the floor as clothes had been discarded and limbs had tangled. He drew it up onto the bed and pulled it over their heated bodies that were quickly cooling in the October night air. He leaned over and lay a soft kiss on her damp forehead before settling in next to her, propped up on his elbow. He studied her resting face. "Hey there," he quietly whispered.

Erin's eyes fluttered open. She rolled her head slightly to the side so she could see his face. His eyes were warm and soft. A slight smile spread across her face as she met his gaze, "Hey."

"So…" Jay began. He absentmindedly reached out and grabbed a lock of her wavy hair and wrapped it around his finger, then released it. Her eyes followed his hand. Her body was still reacting to his every movement. "That was…" he paused again, leaned down, and brushed another soft kiss against her skin. This time his lips brushed against her temple and ghosted across her ear. Another shiver crossed her skin as his warm breath tickled that still sensitized spot. Her heart thudded against her chest, anticipating his next touch. Jay repeated, "That was…" he let his words trail off again as he gently kissed her ear, then bit down gently on her earlobe.

Erin laughed and playfully pushed him off her, Jay grinned as he leaned back onto his elbow. Her husky voice finished his sentence. "That was different."

The grin immediately fell from Jay's face. "Different?" He questioned, alarm crossing his face. "What do you mean different?" Erin bit back her own grin at the concerned look on his face. Jay looked like she had just insulted his manhood. "Didn't you… I thought you…" he stammered boyishly. His eyebrows raised, "Cause it sure sounded like you…"

Erin tried unsuccessfully to swallow a laugh, "I did!" She playfully punched him in the shoulder.

Now confusion was evident as Jay looked at her closely. His eyes narrowed slightly and he tilted his head a bit as he tried to get a read on her. "Then what do you mean by different?"

Erin pulled the blanket up against her chest and under her arm, then she propped herself up on her elbow and faced him. She wasn't quite sure how to explain the feeling. Tonight had been wonderful. Jay was attentive and enthusiastic. Clearly they had missed each other over the last few month, but it _had_ felt different than she remembered. Last winter when they had been together, there had been so much pent up frustration that the sex and been explosive. Their clothes were usually off before they had even made it to the bedroom, if they made it to the bedroom at all. Tonight it had been… _different_. After a few drugging kisses on the couch, Jay had grasped her hand, and led her into the bedroom. There they had undressed in between slow, deep kisses, gentle caresses, and soft words.

"Before," she began, "it was great, you know. Hot, passionate, and all that good stuff. It was like a year of sexual tension being released." Jay nodded in agreement, a few choice memories flitted through his memory. A particular memory of a night where they never even made it out of the kitchen lingered in his mind.

Erin reached her hand out and gently placed it against his cheek. Her eyes grew serious, "Tonight it just felt different than before, don't you think?" She stroked his cheek with her fingertips lightly. She could feel him lean slightly into her touch. That made her smile. Honestly, almost everything he did made her smile. Or gasp. Or shiver.

Her voice grew even huskier than normal, "It felt like…" this time she let her voice trail off as she dropped her hand, leaned in, and brushed her lips against his cheek. She softly repeated, "It felt like…" she moved her lips down to his and pressed a fleeting kiss against his lips. She whispered, "It felt like…"

"Love." He breathed almost inaudibly against her lips.

Erin pulled back instantly, her eyes widened in surprise. Jay's eyes blazed with emotion as he stared back at her. His hand firm against her shoulder not letting her pull back too far. Had Erin not had her lips pressed against his, she probably wouldn't have even heard the word. She swallowed nervously, but was unable to break eye contact.

Jay kept his eyes focused on hers. Erin felt like he was searching deep into her soul. Searching for something. Was it something she was ready to give? His voice was quiet and his face serious. "Maybe our bodies know something we aren't quite ready to admit to ourselves."

Erin bit down on her lip thoughtfully as she considered his words. She cared about Jay, a lot. Maybe more than any man she had ever been involved with in her life. He gave her strength when she needed it, but seemed to relish in her independence as well. He looked at her at times as if he saw someone she didn't see when she looked in the mirror. He looked at her like she was strong, good, and worthwhile. Except those were the qualities she saw in him, not herself. He was…good. Too good, maybe. Too good for her, for sure. It was like he was a cross between Captain America, Homecoming King, and Superman, all wrapped up into one hot, sexy, loving package. There was that word again…love. Is that what was different tonight? Was it not sex but love?

Jay reached out across the short distance between them and trailed his fingers down her bare arm. Erin's eyes followed the path. It felt like her skin was being set on fire by his touch. His fingers swirled and stroked circles into her skin. She swallowed. It had only been minutes, her heart had barely steadied back into its normal beat, yet she already craved his touch again. Not in a hot and passionate way, but in an intense, deep… loving way.

"Maybe we should," she gently sucked in a breath as Jay's fingers tugged the blanket down a few inches and continued to stroke her newly exposed skin gently. Her burning eyes met his, "Maybe we should let our bodies talk some more, figure this out."

Jay smiled softly, "I do think communication is important." He rolled over, pressing his upper body against hers, pinning her to the bed. His mouth covering her own smile, as they began to make love.


End file.
